Summer Bounty: The Journey Part 1

Over the last few months, life has gotten away from me it seems.  Well, at least where it pertains to blogging about wonderful food creations!  And it's this time of year specifically that I begin to get excited about food in general again.  I mean, how many meals can you grill before it becomes old news fast?  The doldrums of summer food got you down?  Yeah, me too.  But now that my local farmers market has finally come to town and my container garden is starting to produce fresh veggies the fantastic ideas play around in my head of great entree ideas or better yet, great side dishes for those grilling days (which is really most of the summer anyway).

Recently, a friend passed on a recipe she found using one of my favorite all-time ingredients, avocado.  Excited to try something new, I quickly printed it out and within the next week was following the recipe, tasting, changing the recipe, tasting and then planning for the next time I made it with new ideas in mind.  While it was a great base to start with, I did what I typically do with recipes, I dismantled it, changed it and made it my own.  But without that base recipe to get the creative juices flowing, I would not have found a great new pasta dish for the summer that's not only tasty, incorporating some of my favorite flavors, but super easy to make as well for those busy summer days - so thanks Cassie for the inspiration!

Are you curious now?  Well, wait no more, the dish I'm sharing today is an angel hair pasta in an avocado sauce.  Yes, you read that right, an avocado sauce.  It must be said right off, do not make too much of this recipe, because it will not reheat well.  Well, it will reheat, but the color will not be appetizing ;)  So grab your food processors or blenders and let's get cooking what's sure to be the next summer hit in your kitchen!

Creamy Avocado Pasta

• 1 medium medium avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 box angel hair pasta (you can use others but angel hair is my all-time favorite!), cooked al dente as you're making the sauce
• 1-2 cloves of garlic (I find 1 and a 1/2 cloves is just the right amount, but if you go ga-ga for garlic, add 2)
• 3 Tbsp EVOO (one reserved for pasta)
• 1 ripe lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 c cilantro
• 4-5 basil leaves
• Pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste

In your food processor add 2 Tbsp of EVOO, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, basil leaves, salt, pepper and pulse until chopped well.  When noodles are done and strained, add 1 Tbsp of EVOO to them and mix well.  Add avocado to food processor and let it go until mixture is creamy.  Pour avocado sauce over hot noodles, add lime zest, toss and serve. 

This dish would be delicious with or without a protein.  I think next time I make it I'm going to toss in some grilled skewered cilantro lime shrimp and make it the entree with some great parmesan garlic bread on the side.  And the best part about this meal?  It's creamy because of the avocado without the guilt of using a heavy cream sauce!  Enjoy!